by Sarah Thorn
“We saw three birds we’ve never seen before!” Charlotte decided to answer that time. “They were very red, and they were up in the cherry tree. Samuel was going to throw a rock at them, but Rose wouldn’t let him.”
“Good for Rose.” Richard replied. Rose flushed and then felt silly for responding that way. He’d complimented her before, but now that Elizabeth had sparked her curiosity, she heard the compliment differently. “We don’t throw rocks at birds, not even ugly ones.”
“Oh, daddy, there aren’t any ugly birds.” Charlotte rolled her eyes at her father’s silliness. “They are all beautiful, even plain ones.”
“That’s very nice, honey.” Richard smiled at her. “You are very kind-hearted.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Richard looked at Rose. “How was your day today?”
“The children were very good. They paid attention to their schoolwork and learned a lot. They are so smart.”
Richard nodded. “Yes, they are. I’m proud of each of you.”
They all three responded with, “Thank you, daddy.”
“How was your day?”
Richard shook his head. “All boring business, I’m afraid. Nothing much to speak of. I begin to wonder if I’m in the wrong business.”
“Haven’t your family owned it for several generations?” She asked.
“Many. As far back as has been recorded. I don’t think we’ve ever been anything but businessmen. I’m… a little disappointed in it, to tell you the truth. I feel a bit wasted in my position, doing nothing but telling other people what to do all day.”
“It sounds like you aren’t having much fun. You should do something to amuse yourself…besides the balls and dancing, of course.”
Richard chuckled without humor, picking up his fork. He gave her a look through narrowed eyes. “That is not what I would consider fun.”
“You do not enjoy the dances?” She was surprised. He had never mentioned before that he was dissatisfied, though he never brought any of the Ladies home, not this Season so far or the one before. She was suddenly glad of that fact, realizing she would now be jealous and uncomfortable if he had.
“It’s not the dancing that I object to. I like to dance. It’s the fact that Elizabeth makes me dance with Ladies I have no interest in. Most of them are looking for a certain kind of man as I am looking for a certain kind of woman. I have these children to think of, as well. They are young and not capable of caring for my children as they should be taken care of.”
“I am here. I can care for them.”
“And that’s another thing.” Richard let his fork drop so that it smacked against the side of his plate, which startled Rose and all three children. He looked down and then up at each of them. “I’m sorry about that.”
“What did you mean?” Rose wanted to hear his answer very badly.
“What?” Richard blinked at her. “Oh, we are talking about the Ladies from town, aren’t we? I have Samuel, Charlotte and Frederick to think of, and you have been their governess for most, if not all of their lives. What if the woman I brought back here decided you were no longer needed? I dread the thought of living in a home dictated by a strong-willed woman.”
“There are no Ladies at all that you feel would be up to the task of caring for the children? I can find a new position, if that were so.” She actually felt a little sick to her stomach when she spoke the words. She hoped it didn’t show on her face. Relief flooded through her when Richard shook his head.
“That’s not what I want. The children would miss you. You care for them better than anyone else can. I don’t want someone else in charge of them.”
Rose pressed her lips together, wishing he would see past her plainness and lack of status to more possibilities.
“Daddy, I’m done eating, can I go now?” Charlotte said, putting her fork down.
“You ate very quickly tonight, didn’t you?” Richard answered.
Charlotte nodded, her blond curls bouncing on her shoulders. “I have a book to read. I started it yesterday, and I want to read it, so I hurried to get to it. Can I go to my room?”
“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll come in with Rose tonight and see you to bed. All right?”
“Yes, daddy!” Charlotte jumped up from her chair and went to him to throw her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, and she gave him a kiss on his cheek before running out the door.
Her brothers left soon after, leaving Rose and Richard to finish their dinners together. It was not the first time it had happened, but it was the first time Rose noticed they didn’t usually speak to each other. She decided to change that. Their conversation before the children departed made her feel that more was possible. The more they talked, the more they would bond.
“If you were to be doing something else besides what you do,” She began. “What would it be?”
Richard looked up at her in surprise, raising his eyebrows. “What would I do?” He appeared to be thinking about it. She smiled. “Well, I suppose I would…operate a race track. I’ve always loved horses, you know. When I was young, I used to dream of becoming a jockey.” He laughed softly. “Couldn’t do it. Too big. Too tall.”
“That must have been terribly disappointing.” She was still smiling and saw that he was amused.
“It was a big blow to my self-esteem. Why couldn’t I have been born thin, with barely any muscle mass.” They both laughed loudly. “I wasn’t crushed by it, don’t worry. I moved on into my rightful place as the head of the Wentworth company, and there I shall stay until the end of my days.” He said it in such a forlorn voice, completely the opposite of his previous joviality. She preferred the joviality.
“It seems a terrible waste to me.” She had long since finished her plate but did not want to get up. The conversation would end, and she would have to go tend to the children. She wanted to stay and talk to him all night.
He nodded, pushing his own plate away and sitting back in his chair. “I have to agree with you and thank you for saying so, Rose. It would be wonderful to just have something different happen every now and then. I am going through the motions, as they say, not getting much pleasure from this life.”
“Things change very quickly, though.”
“It doesn’t seem like things are changing much for me. Every day I get up and go to work and come home and have some kind of party to go to or I stay home here with the children. I enjoy the parties some but…I am just not interested in dancing with all those women…” He shook his head, not able to find the words to convey how he felt. He couldn’t imagine he put off the best image to the women he encountered anyway. No wonder they didn’t seem to be able to hold a conversation with him. “Although I suppose I could try a little harder. I don’t do much to help the situation, do I?” He smiled at her.
She didn’t want him to try harder. She giggled a little and held her hand up over her mouth. She noticed that the look on his face had changed. He was looking at her more directly, as if he had suddenly realized something. As if he was seeing her for the first time. She lowered her hand and smiled at him.
Richard was, indeed, realizing something for the first time. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a conversation with a woman that lasted longer than a few minutes, other than Elizabeth. Rose seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say and responded to him with thoughtful remarks.
He suddenly stood up and bowed to her. “I am going to retire now, Rose. It was nice talking with you. I will see you in the morning?”
“Yes, sir.” She stood up, as well.
He gazed at her for a moment. “It’s Richard,” he said plainly.
She smiled. “Yes, Richard.”
He smiled back and turned to walk out of the room, unaware he was taking a piece of her heart with him.
Chapter Four
Rose recounted the conversation for Elizabeth the next day.
“I’m so glad you decided to stop in again today, Liz.” Rose set their teas in
front of them with a platter of small cookies and cakes.
Elizabeth eyed the snacks hungrily, trying to decide what to start with. “These look delicious, don’t they?” She picked up a cookie gingerly, as if it might disintegrate before she had a chance to eat it. She took a bite, smiling at Rose. “I do like to come here whenever I can. This is the most relaxing atmosphere. You’ve done such a good job with it.”
Rose looked around. Richard had asked her a few months after his wife’s death to make the rooms they occupied as light and airy as possible, to keep the mood elevated. “Thank you.”
“Did you have a good evening last night?”
“I did.” Rose nodded. “I had a nice conversation with Richard.”
Elizabeth’s face lit up. “Did you?”
“Yes. We talked about the dances and his business. His…dreams, what he would like to be doing if he had a choice.”
“Richard doesn’t enjoy his position in the company?” Elizabeth looked surprised. “He’s never mentioned that to me.”
“He said he would rather be riding horses.”
Elizabeth nodded. “Oh, yes. I understand that. When he was young, he wanted to be a jockey. I remember.”
“That’s what he said.” Rose felt a little disappointed. For a moment, it seemed Richard had told her something he had not mentioned to anyone else before. If he hadn’t told Elizabeth, it would have been something very personal. She pushed the feeling away and smiled at Elizabeth. “It made me feel he does care about what I think. He was very relaxed when speaking to me.”
“Well, I think you would be an excellent choice for my brother,” Elizabeth said, firmly. “You should be dancing with him instead of Kathleen Caywood.”
They both laughed.
“I truly think many of the ladies are intimidated by the children.” Elizabeth looked out over the yard to where the children were having a picnic and playing.
“Why would they be intimidated?”
“It’s not often a woman will be willing to take on three children, especially when they are as smart and beautiful as these.” Elizabeth shook her head. “Even though Richard is notable and holds a position in society.”
“Surely that can’t be the case.”
“I think it’s also because Richard has very high standards.”
“He mentioned he didn’t want a strong-willed woman to come in and rule his house.”
Elizabeth nodded. “That sounds like him. He wants the children to be safe, loved and happy. Kate was so good at making them smile. She made them all smile.” She turned her eyes to Rose. “I notice that they smile at you the same way. You have done such a wonderful job keeping their spirits high in the face of it all.”
Rose sighed. “Thank you. It’s not difficult when they are already good-natured.”
“Hmmm…” Elizabeth had that look on her slender face again. She pursed her red lips, giving Rose a direct look. “I am having an idea.”
I can tell, Rose thought and smiled at Elizabeth.
“What are you plotting now, Liz?” She asked.
Elizabeth sat forward, leaning toward Rose. “There’s a ball coming up. I am going to take you as my guest. Then you will have an opportunity to dance with Richard!”
Rose was taken aback. She raised her eyebrows. “How can that happen? What about the children?”
“I will find someone to care for them for the night. We won’t tell Richard until after the ball. We won’t go until after Richard leaves.”
“He may refuse to dance with me.” Rose was nearly petrified. Suppose he was angry about the whole thing and dismissed her? Last night, he seemed determined not to do such a thing but what if she pushed past her boundaries?
“It’s a masquerade ball. Night after tomorrow. You will be wearing a mask. He won’t even know it’s you!”
“Until I speak to him. I can’t just be silent the whole time.”
“Dance with him for a few minutes before you say anything.”
“I don’t know, Liz. Is this overstepping my boundaries?”
Elizabeth shook her head, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand. “Nonsense! I think it would be a wonderful surprise for him. He is comfortable with you. You must take advantage of that if you want to get any further with him. I think it would be wonderful if he fell in love with you!”
Rose’s heart began to thump in her chest. The thought of Richard falling in love with her was almost more exciting than she could bear.
“It’s settled.” Elizabeth sat back. “I will bring you an outfit tomorrow, I have several you will fit into. We are about the same size, aren’t we? I’ll have Becky take it in if not.”
“Are you sure about this, Liz?”
“Absolutely sure!”
Rose pulled in a deep breath and held it for a moment. She wondered if she would be able to dance with Richard without falling all over her own feet.
Richard dressed for the ball slowly, without much enthusiasm. It seemed strange to him that Elizabeth was not going with him. He pulled on his clean white shirt and began to button it. She hadn’t been on his back about dancing with as many of the Ladies as possible, either. In fact, she had completely stopped badgering him. He had no idea how to feel about that. He couldn’t imagine she had changed his mind about his situation or no longer cared. That simply wasn’t feasible. She had been pushing him for two Seasons relentlessly.
He picked up his jacket while reaching into his pocket for his watch. He flipped it open to see he had twenty minutes if he wanted to be on time. He sighed. Another boring night watching other people dance. At least, he would hear some good songs while he was there.
He would go to keep up appearances. He would smile and laugh. His place in society would be maintained.
He chuckled at his thoughts as he went out the door. It was too bad Rose was not one of the Ladies. Their conversation two nights ago had made him see her differently. He nodded at his driver and got in the carriage thinking about Rose. He had noticed many things over the last two days, things she had done or said that he hadn’t paid much attention to before. She was wonderful with his children, treating them as if they were her own. She was a good-looking woman, too, something he berated himself for never noticing before. He had stopped himself from saying something to that effect several times over the last two days.
He thought about her as he looked out of the carriage window, wondering what she would be doing tonight. If he had invited her, would she have come along? Probably not. She was not the kind of woman who would feel comfortable in an atmosphere like that. He wouldn’t want to subject her to feeling inadequate when, in fact, she was more than adequate.
He wished status didn’t mean so much to society. He wouldn’t allow Rose to feel less than another woman, simply because she didn’t have a title. She was a worthy woman.
By the time he got to the ballroom, he had made a solid case for Rose in his own mind. He would begin to talk to her more. He wanted to get to know her better.
He immediately got a drink and sat down at a table in the corner. If he wasn’t spotted by too many, he stood less of a chance having to do anything he didn’t want to do. He kept his eyes open for Elizabeth. She was coming late, and he wanted to talk to her about Rose. He knew they spent a lot of time together, and he valued her opinion. He also knew she would gladly give it.
He looked around at all of the masked people, Lords and Ladies that he knew but didn’t know and wondered how he would spot Elizabeth. Had he told her what his mask looked like? He couldn’t remember. He sighed. Maybe he would recognize her by the way she walked.
He focused on several women, wondering if she was Elizabeth each time. He nearly jumped out of his seat when a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up at the woman who had touched him, hoping it was his sister.
“Richard.” He was relieved to hear Elizabeth’s voice.
“How did you know?” He asked.
“You told me, remember?” Elizabeth laughed and
shook her head. “Over there. See her? Go ask her to dance. No one is asking her. She looks lonely.”
“How can you tell?” The woman’s mask was a dark velvet purple and covered most of her slender face.
Elizabeth laughed.
“Who is she? What’s her name?”
“It doesn’t matter. Just go ask her to dance. I was talking to her, and she seems very nice.”
“Has she been here before? Have I danced with her before?”
“Will you just go over there? Don’t make me take you by the hand and lead you, brother, that would look very strange, I think.”
Richard sighed. This was the Elizabeth he was used to. It appeared he’d gotten a short reprieve from her nagging.
“All right, all right.” He stood up and crossed the room, moving around people politely. When he reached her, he leaned over and held out his hand.
“Would you like to dance, my lady?”
Without a word, the woman smiled and gave him her hand. He led her onto the dance floor, where they waited a few seconds for the song to begin. Richard’s first thought when they began to dance was that the woman felt very comfortable in his arms. He wondered about her silence but was enjoying the dance too much to say anything about it. It was the first time he had danced in comfortable silence with a woman. His arm felt good around her waist.
He was surprised when the song was over. He didn’t want to stop dancing with the silent woman. Unable to contain himself, he bowed low to her and said, “That was a lovely dance, my lady. May I have your name?”
She smiled and laughed softly. She had been nervous the entire time but had enjoyed the dance more than she ever would have imagined. Now she would have to tell him who she was and had no idea how he would react.
“Please?” He prompted with a laugh of his own.
“It’s Rose,” she said softly.
He stared at her from behind his own mask. “Rose? My Rose?”
His use of the word “my” delighted her. She giggled and lifted her mask slightly so he could see who she was.
